23 Years Ago: Garth Brooks’ ‘Ropin’ the Wind’ Goes Diamond

Twenty-three years ago today, on Nov. 16, 1994, Garth Brooks made history: It was on that date that Brooks' third studio album, Ropin' the Wind, which was released in 1991, was certified for sales of 10 million copies. The feat made Brooks the first country artist to have two albums earn diamond status.

Prior to Ropin' the Wind's diamond achievement, Brooks' No Fences record, which was released in 1990, sold 17 million copies. Still, it was Ropin' the Wind that helped seal Brooks' superstar status: The album spawned three No. 1 hits, including "Shameless," penned by Billy Joel, and "The River."

Liberty Records

Ropin' the Wind debuted at No. 1 on both the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and the Billboard Country Albums chart. It held the top spot on the Billboard 200 for an astonishing 18 weeks and stayed on top of the country albums chart for a combined almost six months, becoming one of the best-selling records of all time.

In addition to No Fences and Ropin' the Wind, Brooks has had five other albums reach diamond status: Garth Brooks, Double Live, Sevens, The Hits and, most recently, The Ultimate Hits. As of 2016, Brooks has more diamond records than the Beatles.